Spring-button



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. FOX, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRING-BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,775, dated November 26, 1889.

Application iiled February 2, 18559. Serial No. 298,526. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE H. FOX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usegloves, or analogous articles in which two flaps, one overlapping the other, are to be temporarily secured together while the boot or shoe is in use'. Buttons of this class are usuallyso secured by their fastening-pron gs that the strain is transversely of the axis of the eye of the fastener; hence the button is apt to pull over or incline and permit the flap having the socket member or button-hole to disengage therefrom.

My invention has for its object several "prominent features, primarily in forming or striking up both the fastening members or arms of the button upon the same side, but laterally of and transversely of the axis of the eye of said fastener; secondly, by the construction of said arms to impart greater spring or yielding qualities to the eye or head of the button; thirdly, by such disposition of the arms to prevent to a great extent the tipping or inclining of the buttons obliquely to the strain or pull which may be brought to bear against it, while its support or base is much increased.

The drawings represent in Figure l a perspective view of a spring-button embodying my invention and enlarged. Fig, 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view, and Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation, showing the springbutton in position on one flap and in engagement with an eyelet secured to a second and overlapping piece of material. Fig. 5 shows in cross-section various forms of wire from which the spring-button may be produced. Fig. G is a modified form of arms.

In said drawings the button or fastener is shown at 2, composed, preferably, of steel wire or fiat metallic band, by preference such material'as maybe manufactured in one continuous piece and from which blanks of the length required for making a spring-button may be cut. I do not desire to be limited to any precise form of wire, as it may be circular, rectangular, oval, concavo-convex, or of other form in cross-section, as circumstances may dictate.

In the manufacture of this button a blank of the required length is first cut and subjected to a machine which will preferably strike out in one operation the finished article. This fastening is composed of a springhead 3, preferably a rounded oval with the long axis in a vertical plane. This head is created by looping or bending the blank upon itself in such manner that this head shall be located about midway of the two ends of the blank and with its neck or base contracted.

To form shoulders or rests for the buttonhead and prevent it from tipping when secured upon the boot or shoe, the straight end portions, now remaining, are brought into a horizontal plane, but both upon the same side of the button-head, preferably in a plane at right angles, or thereabout, to the latter.

Furthermore, to increase the size of the support or button-base, said portions, which I term arms 4 4, are caused to diverge from` the base, and may be either curved or straight. The Aextreme end portions or terminals of the blank are now bent downward until they assume avertical position and form the fastening-prongs 5 5, preferably pointed, as shown.

As will be readily seen by reference to the drawings, the length of the arms 4 4, as well as their divergence from a common point-the base of the button-head increases the yielding properties of the latter, and since this class of fastener is generally made of steel wire and with the short hard turns, assumed in the manufacture of the same, little or no spring is obtained.

A prominent and characteristic feature in this button is seen in the location of both arms 4 4 or supports upon the same side and transversely of the axis of the eye of the fastener. The purpose of this is as follows:

IOO

Assuming that the spring-button 2 is secured to a ap 6 in the manner shown-that is, with the axis of the eye of the fastener at right angles to the strain or pull, While the arms are approximately in the line of the pull, and, further, if the-two flaps 6 7 are united by the eyelet S engaging with the spring-button-then, when a pull is exerted, the general tendency has been to incline the button obliquely in direction of the pull, thereby permitting the eyelet to slip off and become disengaged; but in the present instance it will be seen that any tendency of the buttonhead to tip over is followed by an upward movement of the arms 4L 4, which sustain the extremity of the iiap 7 with its eyelet; hence the latter is kept at right angles to the axis of the button-head and no disengagement is liable to occur. Preferably the button-head is inclined slightly from the Vertical or undercut, as shown in Fig. 2, at 9.

What I desire to claim is- Y The spring-button composing one member of a fastening device consisting of a springlooped eye expanded at its top and contracted at its base and standing in a Vertical plane, two fastening-prongs, also ina Vertical plane,but laterally of the head, and two horizontal divergent arms whichv connect the head and the prongs, said arms springing horizontally from the base of said head and both upon the same side of the latter, oombined with a socket member for securing two pieces of material together, as and for purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEO. H. FOX.

lVitnesses:

H. E. LODGE, FRANCIS C. STANwooD. 

